An approach to facilitating metric-based conformance by character units to specified formations is provided. An instance of a game space may be executed. The game space may have character units (including a first group of character units) that are controllable by a user to perform in-space actions. Values for one or more dynamic cohesiveness metrics associated with one or more of the user or character units of the first group may be determined. Responsive to reception of a first action request specifying a formation for the first group and a second action request specifying a first in-space objective for the first group, the first group may attempt to perform the first in-space objective in the instance of the game space with a level of conformance (that is based on the determined values of the dynamic cohesiveness metrics) to the specified formation during the attempted performance of the first in-space objective.